-Many adverse environmental factors influencing the Shatt-al Arab River, southern Iraq, during the past century and especially in recent years, combined with the ever-increasing demand for freshwater in the region, indicate the need to obtain information about its salinity regime. The aim of our study was both to find out what historical data there are and then to compare these with the results of a survey of the salinity and water quality of a stretch of the present river over the year October 2009-September 2010. The evidence suggests that there has been a marked upstream shift in the influence of sea water. Salinity values of 2 and 8‰ were found at two sites where elevated salinity had never been reported previously. Water quality variables indicated increased concentrations over the previous four decades and were beyond the national and international standards. As such changes in a major water resource have serious implications for the inhabitants of Basrah, the biological diversity in the river and the whole Gulf ecosystem, it is suggested that there should be a much more detailed study to provide the evidence needed to convince upstream water users of the need to conserve water and manage the whole catchment properly.
Flow Injection Analysis (FIA) was applied to determine phosphate concentration in water of the southern part of Al-Hammar marsh water from July 2007 to July 2008. A linear line was obtained over the range 0.25- 1.75 μg/ml of phosphate with regression coefficient for seven points is 0.9999. The detection limit was 0.075 μg/ml with % R.S.D for ten replicate analysis of 1.0 μg/ml phosphate is 0.511% and the dispersion coefficient in the flow system is 5.4. The samples can be analyzed at rates exceeding 72 sample per hour .It was noted that phosphate concentration ranged 0.295 - 1.450 μg/ml, whereas the maximum phosphate concentration was recorded in spring 2008 and the minimum in autumn 2008.
A Semi- automated flow injection analysis (FIA) unit was build-up for determination of ammonium ion in water samples from the Shatt Al-Arab River during the period from October 2009 to September 2010. The ammonium concentrations in water have been measured, at each of the eight stations (Qurnah (Tigres), Qurnah (Euphrates), Saad Bridge, Garmat Ali, Ashar, Abu Al-Khaseeb, Al-Seeba and Fao), monthly. The results indicated that (NH4+) concentrations increasing during May, June and July, 2010 especially in stations 5 and 6 were 0.95, 1.35 µg/ml , 1.30, 1.25 µg/ml and 1.45, 1.40 µg/ml, respectively. The FIA unit was applied successfully for the determination of ammonium in Shatt Al-Arab water sample and provide simple, fast, and reproducible methods for ammonium determination in water.
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